Elixxir (The Brethren Series) Read Online Free Page B
Author: Deena Remiel
scheduled them to come the following day. Riding his Harley Cross Bones, he headed to the cheap hotel up the road.
He didn’t know exactly how to apologize. Flowers had been a major fail, but maybe jewelry or a Coach handbag would work? Or maybe a Rolex watch. Or maybe all of the above. Hell, he’d think about that later. Right now he had to get Nathanael on board with his plan.
***
It wound up being a nightmarish kind of day at work, which worked out quite well, since it kept Callie’s mind off the shambles of her personal life. Richie hadn’t been seen anywhere near the shop. After telling Serena about their date and the attempted rape, her best bud called a sheriff friend of hers. He assured her he would put the fear of God in the man, but should anything further happen to escalate the situation, he would haul his ass straight to jail. Kemuel hadn’t shown up at the shop, either. Good thing, too. He was the last person she wanted to see right now.
Closing time presented a problem. She would have the rest of the night to obsess over Kemuel’s sudden reappearance. “Heading out, Serena,” she said, peeking into the office. “Have a good night, and thanks for everything. I appreciate it.”
“If there’s anything more I can do, you know I’m right here for you, girlfriend.” Callie smiled, gave her a wink, and headed for home.
***
With the door good and locked behind her, Callie kicked off her shoes and sorted the mail. Spaghetti and meat sauce leftovers would be dinner. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a flashing light. A message ? At home ? How strange . Anyone that knew her always called on her cell phone. Puzzled, she approached the machine sitting on the corner of the kitchen counter and pressed Play. The voice startled her. The man groaned and grunted, and each pained word grew fainter. The meaning, however, transmitted loud and clear.
“Ariana Kupi, this is Mr. Watkins, your lawyer. I’ve been trying to get you on your cell phone, but it keeps saying your inbox is full. Your identity has been compromised. Whatever you do, do not use your computer or access the Internet. Pack a bag and leave your home as soon as you hear this. Run, Ariana, and don’t look back. I didn’t tell them, Ariana. I didn’t tell them anything.”
“Oh, my freakin’ God! Mr. Watkins,” she murmured, holding on to the kitchen counter for purchase. “What do I do? What do I do?” Her mind went from zero to sixty in two seconds flat. She flung a backpack from atop her bedroom closet onto her bed and opened it. Drawers were hastily opened and clothes thrown in a haphazard manner. Where to go ? The police ? She’d lost faith in them over the twenty years they couldn’t find her parents’ killers. Serena’s ? Yeah, that would be good. Raphael is in the security business. He can get me hidden .
Zipping up the bag, she slung it over her shoulder. Someone knocked at the front door. She froze, and heard another knock, and another. Very insistent, but very friendly-like, as if to throw her off. She wanted to run, but she couldn’t move. Fear had turned her into a stone statue.
“Callie, please open up, would ya?”
Recognizing Nathanael’s voice, she sighed in relief. Thank God ! Kemuel’s friend could be very useful . He worked for Brethren Security along with Kemuel and Raphael. Dare she ask for help and get him involved in her mess? She didn’t have a choice right now. She had to get out of this apartment and find lost. Then, she could lose him.
She opened up the door as far as the chain lock would allow. Verifying that friend, not foe, stood on the other side, she closed the door, unlocked it, and reopened it. She grabbed him by the collar with one hand, and with a confused look, he allowed her to push him back toward his motorcycle.
“Don’t say anything or do anything except strap down my backpack and take me to a hotel, now! It’s a matter of life and death, so hurry the fuck
He didn’t know exactly how to apologize. Flowers had been a major fail, but maybe jewelry or a Coach handbag would work? Or maybe a Rolex watch. Or maybe all of the above. Hell, he’d think about that later. Right now he had to get Nathanael on board with his plan.
***
It wound up being a nightmarish kind of day at work, which worked out quite well, since it kept Callie’s mind off the shambles of her personal life. Richie hadn’t been seen anywhere near the shop. After telling Serena about their date and the attempted rape, her best bud called a sheriff friend of hers. He assured her he would put the fear of God in the man, but should anything further happen to escalate the situation, he would haul his ass straight to jail. Kemuel hadn’t shown up at the shop, either. Good thing, too. He was the last person she wanted to see right now.
Closing time presented a problem. She would have the rest of the night to obsess over Kemuel’s sudden reappearance. “Heading out, Serena,” she said, peeking into the office. “Have a good night, and thanks for everything. I appreciate it.”
“If there’s anything more I can do, you know I’m right here for you, girlfriend.” Callie smiled, gave her a wink, and headed for home.
***
With the door good and locked behind her, Callie kicked off her shoes and sorted the mail. Spaghetti and meat sauce leftovers would be dinner. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a flashing light. A message ? At home ? How strange . Anyone that knew her always called on her cell phone. Puzzled, she approached the machine sitting on the corner of the kitchen counter and pressed Play. The voice startled her. The man groaned and grunted, and each pained word grew fainter. The meaning, however, transmitted loud and clear.
“Ariana Kupi, this is Mr. Watkins, your lawyer. I’ve been trying to get you on your cell phone, but it keeps saying your inbox is full. Your identity has been compromised. Whatever you do, do not use your computer or access the Internet. Pack a bag and leave your home as soon as you hear this. Run, Ariana, and don’t look back. I didn’t tell them, Ariana. I didn’t tell them anything.”
“Oh, my freakin’ God! Mr. Watkins,” she murmured, holding on to the kitchen counter for purchase. “What do I do? What do I do?” Her mind went from zero to sixty in two seconds flat. She flung a backpack from atop her bedroom closet onto her bed and opened it. Drawers were hastily opened and clothes thrown in a haphazard manner. Where to go ? The police ? She’d lost faith in them over the twenty years they couldn’t find her parents’ killers. Serena’s ? Yeah, that would be good. Raphael is in the security business. He can get me hidden .
Zipping up the bag, she slung it over her shoulder. Someone knocked at the front door. She froze, and heard another knock, and another. Very insistent, but very friendly-like, as if to throw her off. She wanted to run, but she couldn’t move. Fear had turned her into a stone statue.
“Callie, please open up, would ya?”
Recognizing Nathanael’s voice, she sighed in relief. Thank God ! Kemuel’s friend could be very useful . He worked for Brethren Security along with Kemuel and Raphael. Dare she ask for help and get him involved in her mess? She didn’t have a choice right now. She had to get out of this apartment and find lost. Then, she could lose him.
She opened up the door as far as the chain lock would allow. Verifying that friend, not foe, stood on the other side, she closed the door, unlocked it, and reopened it. She grabbed him by the collar with one hand, and with a confused look, he allowed her to push him back toward his motorcycle.
“Don’t say anything or do anything except strap down my backpack and take me to a hotel, now! It’s a matter of life and death, so hurry the fuck
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